


1x03 "Just Pop In & Say Hello"

by hanarmontana



Series: Armello: The Blood Of Sinners [3]
Category: Armello (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Video Game World, Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24905926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanarmontana/pseuds/hanarmontana
Summary: River, and company, reluctantly agrees to return to her fathers domain to speak to him about his expansion plans; Jeremiah, Sylus and Barnaby discuss their next move regarding the job.
Series: Armello: The Blood Of Sinners [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1334248
Kudos: 1





	1x03 "Just Pop In & Say Hello"

How could a place that once appeared so grandiose in scope and scale now appear so hollow and small in comparison? Was it that she had grown older, and that the kingdom no longer looked as empiric has it once had? It had to be that, because nothing really had changed, at least not architecturally. It was the exact same place that River had once turned away from, brick and all, but something about it just felt different. Walking in with her brother, Lorna and Magna following close behind, she could feel the eyes falling upon them. Yes, yes, the black sheep has returned. Nobody came forward, of course, they were all too afraid of her. She'd had the guts to leave, after all.

"This is...uncomfortable," River whispered to her brother, who merely smirked.

"Indeed," he replied, "Personally I don't think anyone wanted you to be in charge. I think they're all afraid of you."

"Oh, don't try and boost my ego," River said, smiling at her brother as they reached the castle doors and opened them, waltzing right inside.

The interior decor had remained mostly the same as well. Their father had rarely been one for redecorating, often leaving that sort of thing to their mother. Now, with her gone, the place had looked the same for as long as they could recall...almost like if it were stuck in time, unable to progress, much like how he ran things. Thane and River stopped and looked around, both unsure of what to do next. Do they simply stroll into his quarters and approach him, matter of fact, announcing to the king that his outcasted daughter had returned? Hardly the proper way to go about things, River thought. She turned to look at Lorna.

"You don't have to stay with us, please feel free to walk the grounds. Nobody will bother you, you've been seen with us, so they know you're my guest," River said, then turning to Magna, added, "You too, if you want."

"I appreciate that," Magna replied, "But I think I will stay by your side if you don't mind."

"Me too, though...I am quite hungry," Lorna said.

"Well, the kitchen is just off through there, down that corridor," Thane said, pointing past some nearby doors, "If you mention us, you'll be given the best in the house, no questions asked."

"That sounds fairly delightful," Lorna said, excusing herself and heading for the kitchen.

"She seems nice," Thane remarked, watching her disappear.

"Thane!" a voice called out, echoing off the stone walls; they all turned to see a large dark grey wolf approaching them, cape flowing behind him like a banner of conquest, "You've returned with her. It must not have been as hard as I expected it would be. It's nice to see you again, River. I hope we can manage this time together without resorting to screams."

"Depends on how nice you are," River said, making her father chuckle.

"Atta girl," he said, "Come, the lot of you, come sit with me and we shall discuss all my plans during supper. I'm having a feast prepared for such an event. It's not every day a family comes back together."

* * *

Jeremiah was transfixed by the water ripples surrounding his feathers as they dragged slowly off his wing beside the boat. The sea was calm, and he had not much else to do besides watch this and be mesmerized by it. After a few moments, he heard a clamor behind him and turned to see Barnaby trying to get up to the crows nest without much luck. Jeremiah shook his wing off and scoffed, turning to help his little friend.

"You rabbits aren't much good at climbing, are you?" he asked.

"Not really," Barnaby said, "But I want to use my scope! Could you help me up there?"

"Alright, alright, don't lose your patience now," Jeremiah said, grabbing Barnaby with his talons and then attempting to fly up, only to go stumbling back in agony. He grasped at his wing in pain and winced, landing against a few barrels and rope on the deck. He looked at the bandage and saw a new flush of red seeping through.

"You shouldn't be trying to fly with that thing," Sylus said, "It's not going to be healed anytime quick. What're you trying to get up there for anyway?"

"I wanted to use my scope, be a look out," Barnaby said, holding up a long brass telescope and shaking it at Sylus, who promptly took it and admired it.

"This is fine craftsmanship," he noted.

"I made it myself!" Barnaby said, proudly putting his paws on his hips in triumph, making Sylus smirk as he handed it back to the over eager rabbit.

"There's a ladder just below deck, I'll bring it up in a bit. For now, go on down and have a snack, one of my tarts in my room," Sylus said, watching Barnaby happily hop away to the treat. Sylus took a seat beside Jeremiah and put his paw out, indicating he wanted the crows wing, which he promptly placed in the otterlords paw. Sylus looked at the wound and sighed, shaking his head, "This is never going to heal if you continue to try and use it, you fool."

"I was just trying to-"

"I know, you were trying to help. But I need you in tip top shape," Sylus said, "We still need to get our trinket."

Sylus stood back up and walked to the side of the ship, paws on the edges, peering out over the ocean. The sky above a frigid grey, the air tasting like salt water. He wriggled his whiskers and then exhaled, looking down at his feet before speaking again.

"I don't know where we're going to dock, and I cannot say with certainty that when we dock we won't be docked in a place that isn't in a similar fashion of where we just left. It seems like every single day more and more small towns fall to The Rot, and the vermin who carry it. Shipping towns, logging towns, tiny quaint little villages that contain nothing worth wanting by an army..."

"Then...then why are they destroying them? Out of pure hate?" Jeremiah asked.

"My best guess? They're looking for what we're looking for, hoping to destroy it before we can use it to destroy them," Sylus said, turning back to face the bird, "But you, you're a crow, and crows are experts and finding shiny metal objects, are they not? That's why you're the best there is. That's why, if anyone is going to find this thing, it's going to be _you_."

"Well, I'm flattered, really," Jeremiah said, "But I hardly think that I'll be any better at finding something than anyone else."

"Don't count yourself short," Sylus said, smirking, patting his back as he walked by; Barnaby placing the ladder near the pole behind them and climbing up without much notice from either one of them. Sylus sat down beside Jeremiah and pulled an apple out from one of the barrels behind them. He then tugged a small knife from his hilt and cut into the apple, slicing it into small pieces and handing some to the crow merchant. Jeremiah smiled out of thanks, and the two ate in silence.

"Um...Jeremiah?" Barnaby asked from the nest above.

"Not now," Jeremiah responded, nibbling on his fruit.

"There's a boat," Barnaby followed up, which got both their attention. Sylus and Jeremiah rushed to the side of the boat and looked out into the fog that was covering the water around them. There was indeed a boat, just sitting there, softly rocking in the winds. Sylus hissed at Barnaby and the rabbit tossed down his scope. Sylus caught it and opened it, peering through the glass towards the boat. There was nobody on board. It almost looked...abandoned. Sylus groaned and collapsed the scope.

"I don't like the looks of _this_ ," he mumbled.

* * *

River could not recall the last time she and her family had sat down, eagerly so, with one another to enjoy a meal.

Perhaps one of the last solstices before she left? She was unsure. Either way, she couldn't hide the fact that she was fairly pleased about it, despite her earlier actions indicating that she preferred not to return home. Now, once again sitting at the giant oak table in their dining hall, with her father, brother and best friend Magna beside her, she couldn't help but feel like she was back where she belonged for once. As their father told her all about his recent conquests and ideas, Lorna finally joined the group, a biscuit in her mouth, her paws carrying two steins of mead. She took a seat at the table as well and listened while she chewed and drank.

"I can't say it hasn't gone the way I'd hoped," their father, Sterling, said, "Aside from wishing you'd been here, of course. But otherwise your brother has been much help, even if he claims otherwise. He'll learn his place eventually. He'll have to, because I won't be here one day. But you..."

He looked at his paws and shook his head, his ears lowering.

"...all your mother ever told me while you two were pups was that one day you would be admired. Oh, she...she believed great things about your brother, he knows full well, but...but I think she saw all the greatness she had in herself in you, River. She had so many plans, so many ideas. We ruled together. Hell, this kingdom likely wouldn't have existed without her by my side. She's just as responsible if not more so. But I think she realized she wasn't going to have enough time, and she put all those hopes onto you, silently of course, so as not to pressure you."

"...mom really felt that way?" River asked, feeling her eyes well up with tears.

"She adored you, both of you. She wanted you to be what I am now, but...I was too cowardly to acknowledge such a change. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. Creating further reaching factions that can be governed by you and you alone. And, if in time, once your brother has usurped me, you two wish to change places...well, there's nothing I can do to stop you I suppose, because I'll be dead and buried."

Sterling laughed and folded his paws on the table as their servers began bringing their dishes out, piping hot, steam rising off the top.

"Dad, I...I appreciate the offer, but I don't know that I could-"

"Think of what good we could do, like we do already, with so much more resources," Magna said, surprising River.

Magna had rarely argued against River's wishes, but for once, maybe she was right to do so, River thought. After all, what was she capable of doing now? Helping out one badger maiden in the middle of the woods, and only because she just happened to be there at the right time? Foolish. What about if she had access to all the fighters she could want, all the healers she could ask for, and all the resources she could need? She could help so many creatures, she could bring good to so many of those affected by blight and pain across the land of Armello. Perhaps Magna was right, yes.

"We can discuss this more after dinner," Sterling said, pulling a bowl of soup towards him, "I'm just happy you're home, honestly. We left things rather...unwell."

River raised her drink in respect to her father, who smiled back at her and began eating his soup. Everything was right in the world for a moment. She was home, she was finally getting the recognition that she deserved, and maybe soon she'd even be capable of doing all the things she'd always dreamt of. To hear her father speak of her, the way her mother had thought of her, really opened her eyes. Maybe she really was destined for something better, to be a ruler of some kind, a ruler that could ultimately help the entire country they lived in that was so constantly being bombarded with famine and greed. Maybe...

...he was choking. She snapped out of it and noticed her father was choking. River quickly got to her feet and ran to his side to help him. Thane did the same, but not before he felt a small blade slip into his side and he howled out in pain. River turned and saw Magna rising, gripping her staff, but not before she was hit between the eyes with a small metal ball and knocked unconscious, stumbling backwards and falling out cold on the floor. Rivers eyes rose from that to the badger maiden standing there, blade in her paw, her brothers blood dripping off the tip. She felt like the wind was knocked out of her.

"...Lorna, what...what are you-"

"Grab her!" Lorna shouted, and two armored wolves grabbed her by the arms, holding her back as Lorna approached. Lorna grabbed River's jaw and forced her to look in her eyes. She was grinning.

"You are so stupid," she said softly, "All of you. This could not have gone any better than I'd planned. Months of waiting, tracking, pushing my way into your world. Promising your soldiers better things if they helped me, things they knew they'd never get from you. Your father was a fool to think his soldiers were trustworthy. He only cared about himself, not his army. But you...you care about others. I can't let you be in charge."

"Lorna, how could you-"

"It wasn't all my doing, trust me," Lorna said, walking back to the table and grabbing her large battle axe, twirling it in her paw as she approached Thane and stood over his body, "My father was an enormous help. I do think, though, that I'll kill one of you just to keep things interesting."

"Please, no," River said softly, her often strong voice reduced to nothing but a mere whisper, "Please, not my brother. Kill me. Not him."

"How noble of you," Lorna said, raising the axe up and then stopping, in thought, "Actually, perhaps my father could use him. You both might be worth more to us alive than dead. If you're as brilliant a fighter and he's as good a tactician as I've heard...there may be use for you two yet. Take them both to the dungeons! Chain them good! And put their father in his room, shackle him as well! Don't worry, I'll see that his kingdom stays in good shape," she said, laughing as River was dragged away screaming, sobbing, watching her brother be chained up and dragged away as well.

They dragged River down the long stairs that led to the dungeon and tore open a wooden door to the smallest most cramped area, tossing her inside, her brother in after her. They shut the door and left, the room filling with blackness. River struggled to crawl over to Thane and push her head against his, licking his cheek. He wouldn't wake. She didn't know what to do, and so she did the only thing she ever knew to do when she didn't know what else to do.

She buried herself in her brothers chest and cried.

* * *

"What do you mean we're going over there?!" Jeremiah shouted, "Are you absolutely crazy?!"

"Perhaps, just a smidge," Sylus said, "They could need help, they could have supplies, we need to make sure everything is alright. We're only be hurting ourselves more if we don't. Get in the goddamned lifeboat, Jerm."

"I don't believe this," Jeremiah said, glancing back at Barnaby as the lifeboat was lowered; he shouted back, "Don't let him have my things if I die!"

"Alright!" Barnaby shouted back, waving at his friends.

He knew they'd be back in one piece. He was nothing if not an eternal optimist.


End file.
